To gauge or not to gauge, that is the question. The answer depends on who you are—and maybe even which generation you're from.

Originally published in July 2008 issue

By Matt Trulio

If you're of a certain age—what the heck, let's make it my age (47)—you grew up with gauges. You learned to glance at a speedometer and, without actually "reading it," know you were going 80 mph. (And back in the day, that used to be really fast in a powerboat.) You could look at a tachometer and see engine speed without actually "seeing" the number. You could look at an oil-pressure gauge showing zero pressure and realize, as your engine came apart, that you should have looked at it more often.

Like many of you, I didn't grow up in the computer age, in which everything, including the laptop on which I'm writing, is digital. I resisted learning to use e-mail and text messaging, until I realized those tools would enable me to work from anywhere in the world, including—and here is the big draw—home.

But there is a whole flock of successful, well-heeled 20- to 30-somethings who did grow up in the digital age, and they are driving what some industry observers see as a growing trend toward "gauge-less" helms in powerboats. These buyers are comfortable reading digital numbers on a screen. They're used to seeing "graphic representations" such as the propeller icon that shows drive trim on Mercury's VesselView LCD monitor, which is made possible by the SmartCraft computer-control technology.

With VesselView an entire assortment of gauges for a twin-engine boat can be replaced by a couple of 6-inch screens. The obvious benefits, at least for those who prefer to go this route, are a less-cluttered helm with more open space for other high-end electronics including GPS monitors with digital video systems installed that provide rear-facing and engine-compartment video.

A "typical" dash for a gauge-less, twin-engine boat might have a couple of VesselView monitors, each of which can provide vital information on both engines in the event of a failure, a high-end GPS monitor with navigation and video capability, and even a couple of smaller monitors on the backs of the bolsters so the rear passengers can enjoy the show.

"Our customers are sophisticated and educated," says Scott Shogren of Shogren Performance Marine in Chicago. "They're from a technological era, and they always want more data. They want to see the diagnostics of the engines, they want accurate readings of things like fuel consumption. VesselView, RaceView and SmartView (the various iterations of the SmartCraft-based LCD screen product from Mercury) are hooked directly to the engines.

"They instantly provide accurate information. Gauges are hooked to an AGI box, so they're not as accurate. Gauges don't provide fault codes and diagnostics.

"Don't get me wrong," he adds, "there's always going to be a gauge market and companies like Livorsi (Marine) do a great job with it. But our customers want more data, so we've been pushing gauge-less dashes. That said, we're only seeing these things in the high-end boats where consumers are willing to pay for them."

When the SmartView system was introduced several years ago, it was criticized—and rightly so—for being difficult to read in direct sunlight or by drivers wearing sunglasses.

The digital numbers for the various engine functions and boat operations were tough to see at a glance. Shogren says that VesselView, the latest full-color iteration of the product, is far easier to read. He also says that because of the plug-and-play design of the system, it is easier to install than traditional gauges.

So why hasn't every new performance-boat buyer gone the gauge-less route? There's a slew of reasons, the top two being styling and operator preference—yes, there are 20- and 30-somethings who still prefer an analog gauge to a digital readout. While a gauge-less installation provides a cleaner look at the helm, gauges offer unlimited bling.

Sure, you can color-match the housing for VesselView and GPS monitors to match the colors of your boat, but with gauges, you mix and match faces, rims and bezels. You can add panels of any color you choose. You can pimp your ride to your heart's content.

But the greater factor is operator preference.

"I'm from the old school," says Mike Livorsi of Livorsi Marine in Grayslake, Ill. "I like to glance down and see the position of a needle. At 100 mph, it's difficult to read an LCD with sunglasses on or in direct sunlight."

Livorsi isn't as old school as you might think. From his perspective, the ideal helm setup blends color-matched gauges with color-matched LCD screens.

"You can have the best of both worlds with a combination of gauges and LCD screens," he explains. "When you're running at 100 mph, you can glance at the gauges and see what's going on. If you want more detailed information, you can go to the screens and dig deeper.

"There are definite advantages to each, but I think you can achieve a good balance with both," he continues. "Everyone has his preference. People who grew up with computers have never really known gauges, so they like digital readouts. My generation grew up with automobiles, so we prefer gauges. But there is a balance."

—Matt Trulio is a freelance writer for Powerboat magazine.

Contact Information

Livorsi Marine, 715 Center St., Grayslake, IL 60030, 847-752-2700, www.livorsi.com

Mercury Marine, W6250 W. Pioneer Road, P.O. Box 1939, Fond du Lac, WI 54936-1939, 920-929-5040, www.mercurymarine.com

Shogren Performance Marine, 3860 Sunset Ave., Waukegan, IL 60087, 866-488-8438, www.chicagofountain.com

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